Synaxarion for Lazarus Saturday

On this day, the Saturday before Palm Sunday, we celebrate the fourth-day raising from the dead of Lazarus, the righteous friend of Christ.

Lazarus[1] was a Hebrew, of the sect of the Pharisees and, as far as is known, he was the son of Simon the Pharisee, who dwelt in the village of Bethany. He became a friend of our Lord Jesus Christ when He sojourned on earth for the salvation of our race. For when Christ continually conversed with Simon, entering his house and discoursing on the resurrection from the dead, Lazarus was quite pleased with the genuineness of this teaching, and not only he, but also his two sisters, Martha and Mary.

Transfer of the Holy Fire from Jerusalem to Belgrade

TO ALL THE HIERARCHS, CLERGY AND FAITHFUL
OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN FATHERLAND, REGION AND ABROAD

ANNOUNCEMENT

It is Our Honour to inform you about a magnificent event of the transfer of the Holy Fire from the Holy City of Jerusalem to Belgrade, which is going to come from the Holy Land to our Fatherland Serbia, God permitting, on the eve of the Resurrection Day of  Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, i.e.  in the evening on Holy and Great Saturday, April 11^th, 2015.

Fifth Sunday in Lent + St. Mary of Egypt

Thou didst sever with the sword of abstinence the snares of the soul and the passion of the body, O righteous one. And by the silence of asceticism thou didst choke the sins of thought. And by the stream of thy tears thou didst water the whole wilderness, bringing forth for us the fruits of repentance. Wherefore, we celebrate thy memory.

-Vespers of the Feast

On the fifth Sunday of Lent, we commemorate St. Mary of Egypt. By her example, we are reminded of the extraordinary power of repentance and God’s mercy, by which even the greatest sinner may be transformed and sanctified.

Read about the life of St. Mary of Egypt.

Metropolitan Porfirije visits President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar- Kitarovic

On Wednesday, March 25th, 2015, His Eminence Metropolitan Dr. Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana was in his first official visit to the newly elected President of the Republic of Croatia Mrs. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

Metropolitan Porfirije congratulated Mrs. Grabar-Kitarovic for the election as Presiden of the Republic and wished her a blessing of God and the success at this responsible duty. They both expressed a readiness for all neccessary cooperation, in the service of the common good of all  citizens of the Republic of Croatia. Future regular meetings were also agreed, while President Grabar-Kitarovic and Metropolitan Porfirije, in the spirit of the Christian values, democratic principles and competencies, will be of service and  help to each other.

Bishop Irinej of Backa in Larissa

Upon the invitation of His Eminence Metropolitan Ignatius of Larissa and Tirnava His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa visited the city of Larissa in Greece on 21 and 22 March 2015. 

His Grace Bishop Irinej was accompanied by Bishop Jeronim of Jegar, Archimandrite Jovan Radosavljevic and Aleksandar Bilic, Diocesan clerk. On Saturday, 21 March, after the Vesper service, Bishop Irinej held a lecture on the topic The Meaning of fasting,  particularly during the Great Lent at the church of Saint Nicholas the Myrrh-Gusher. 

Celebration of the Greek National Day in Belgrade

On the occasion of the Greek National Day, the Liberation Day from Turkish yoke, and in remembrance of Greek liberation uprisings in1821, His Grace Bishop Arsenije of Toplica, Vicar  Bishop of the Serbian Patriarch, officiated Hierarchal Liturgy in the chapel of Saint Symeon the Myrrh-Gusher at the Serbian Patriarchate yesterday on the 4th Sunday of Lent.

The Holy Liturgy was attended by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej, Ambassador of Greece Mr. Konstantinos Ikonomidis, Ambassador of Cyprus Mrs. Nasfika Krusti, Greek military attaché Colonel Antonios Kostakis, representatives of the Greek-Serbian Friendship Association and members of the Greek community in Serbia.